SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS |
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ President's Corner: By Jim Miller |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Editorial: I sent out about 150 requests for biographies and received about 10 back so far. While you may think those are awful odds, in fact that is quite an impressive response. I did some rewrites, sent them back, did some more rewrites and slowly they rounded into good shape. Some of the writers crafted biographies, or rather autobiographies, that were so well written and chronologically perfect that all that I had to do was format the style and put it in my Gone Racin' archives. Roger Rohrdanz, our resident photographer, will check his archives for photographs or arrange to go and take the photos, double check the biographies and then he will send them into www.hotrodhotline.com (Guest Columnist section). Later I will transfer some of the biographies and stories to the newsletter and repost it to www.landspeedracing.com. The Gone Racin' by-line is the main conduit for stories, biographies, cruises, car shows, racing and car related articles. Roger and I then send out the various articles to wherever they need to go or where they will be most appreciated. We check our schedules and see what we can do and what we can squeeze in. Roger specializes in car shows and drag racing. I specialize in land speed racing, reunions and the old fart stuff. We both do "off the wall" kinds of automotive events. The off the wall events might be truck racing, bike shows and racing and the sort of events that doesn't always get a lot of attention in the press. We are open to any suggestions, so if your group has a show or event, let us know, but be sure to give us plenty of time to plan for it as our calendars are full. That's one reason why we love it when someone comes to us and says, "would you like my story on such-and-such?" If you know of a land speed racing event in the past or the present and have written something, send it in. I haven't turned down anyone yet. If it's historical and tells a story about our hot-rodding and land speed racing, we want it and will publish it. My problem is that I will write on and report what I know and after that knowledge is exhausted, there is nothing else left for me to write about. I need you to be my eyes and ears and to send stories and reports of events for me to publish. Soon I have to start on the project to record all that we know about the early dry lakes, land speed racing, my father's impact and all the early pioneers. I will need all of you to write what you know and create a sort of anthology. Otherwise, my value to you will be limited to how much I have witnessed first hand and that isn't much. So start on your biographies and your stories. By the way, a biography is a chronological outline of your life with names, dates and places. The STORY of your life, or stories in general, are the funny, sad and interesting things that happen to you. You can write a story without names, dates and places, though they help any story. A story is something that explains an event. One funny story was told to me by Ak Miller as he went on a motorcycle race through Baja California. He told me that he was out in the desert, out of gas, with no water, laying on the sand looking up at the sky and giving names to all the circling vultures overhead. He was totally alone, miles from help and with no certainty that he would live. Another racer drove by, stopped and said, "Ak, nice day for a ride isn't it." Ak's mouth is so parched that all he can grunt is, "yedtttttthhhh." The racer says, "See you at the next rest stop," and takes off leaving Ak stranded in the desert. Ak never finished the story on how he managed to get into the rest area where the water, food and gasoline was waiting. He chose to stress the isolation and the humor of laying there wondering why he chose to go on this race in the first place. It's a short story, but it tells us so much about the times and the people. Start working on your biography and your stories today. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Editor's notes: You will see that I mention the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum quite a lot and you may wonder if this is favoritism on my part and the answer is a decidedly YES and NO. Am I proud of what my father achieved and that they named a museum after him? Well, yes, I am. Am I also supportive and proud of the museum in Los Angeles that they have named after Robert Petersen, and the answer to that is yes, I am. I knew Bob, not well, but I knew him and he was a gentleman and a hot rodder at heart and anything that I can do to keep his name and goals alive, I would like to do. What about the Don Garlits drag racing museum in Florida? Don is one of those special men in people's lives. I think the world of him and what he's trying to do to keep the hot rodding and drag racing history alive. What some people don't know is that Don is also an avid fan of land speed racing as well and he helps to keep that heritage alive. Garlits began to collect, store and exhibit race cars long before the idea caught on. Don, you see, is always ahead of the curve. He would have been a lot more wealthier and have a lot more wins if he had come into the sport of drag racing 20 years later than he did. But that's not what Don is. He's not a person who keeps up with trends. He's a person who sets those trends for the rest of us. What about the Justice Brothers Car Care Museum in Duarte, California. Ed Justice Sr and his son, Ed Justice Jr are special men. They have created a fantastic museum dedicated to racing history and they continue to add to it. They could just as easily sell off what they have and use the proceeds to enjoy a well deserved rest. Their idea of a vacation is to go out and find a gem of a car, restore it lovingly and display it for all to see. The Nethercut Museum in Sylmar is another great museum and though the founder has passed away, the dedicated people at the Nethercut continue to keep this collection intact. The Automotive Museum in San Diego is another Southern California gem, one that our own Rodger Ward dedicated so much of his life to. Another local treasure is the Field of Dreams Auto Museum in Costa Mesa, California, at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Sadly, two collections are headed for the auction block. Joe MacPherson's fine set of cars, including my uncle Kenny's midget, will be auctioned off in two weeks at Joe's Garage, which will be shut down. Anyone who knew Joe MacPherson understood his passion for race cars. He passed away at too young an age and the demands of the tax man means another collection will be broken up. Henry Astor's fine collection of 400 cars in Anaheim, California, is also going up for auction in June. I toured Astor's outstanding collection and met the man. Henry is a great collector, but he realizes that at his age he can control the destiny of his collection, or let the estate do it for him. While we are saddened to see great car collections broken up, they also allow for other individuals and groups to expand their collections. I haven't begun to express how grateful we are to collectors everywhere, nor to mention them all. The newsletter will publish PR releases, articles, event showings and anything else that is sent to me for publication. The reason the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is so prominently displayed in the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians is due to Bill Groak. Not only is he a really great guy and a true friend, but he is a bundle of energy, just like the fabled Doug Stokes, and he inundates me with news all the time. What does an editor like? I love it when people give me news and stories. It saves me from having to go out and cover the events myself and I can concentrate on just editing. If in doubt, SEND IT OUT, to me. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Gold Coast Roadster & Racing Club announces the 16th Annual Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame 'GAS-UP' will be held in Buellton California on Saturday September 27th, 2008. |
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Photos of past events, a list of Hall of Fame Members, and further details are available at the official website www.oilstick.com where a registration form may be printed out and mailed in. Space has always been limited and veteran attendees know that pre-registration (beginning in May) is highly recommended. Tickets purchased early average $42 - $45, (a limited number will be available at the door for $52 - $55). The Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame began in 1992 as a one-time event of the Gold Coast Roadster & Racing Club to honor a few people thought to have made a difference in hot-rodding and dry lakes racing. The party was such a success that the following year the first official "Gas-Up" event was held at club member Jack Mendenhall's Petroleum Museum in Buellton, and evolved into this much-anticipated annual event. Each year the club recognizes and honors those outstanding individuals who have contributed significantly to the sport of land speed racing on the dry lake beds, past and present - car owners, builders, manufacturers, sponsors, event volunteers, and the media who preserve the history for everyone. In addition, and of equal importance, is to honor outstanding vehicles that have been created by these talented people. For additional information or to put your name on the mailing list for a registration packet which includes a map and listings of local hotels (mailed in May), please call the Gold Coast Roadster & Racing Club at 805-245-8519; P.O. Box 1234, Buellton, CA 93427. From John Julis (Road Runner/SCTA) |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I just became aware of the Society in communications with Louise Noeth and would like to join. I have been a free-lance photojournalist documenting land speed racing for various publications (primarily Volkswagen based magazines) since 1978 and am the unofficial historian for all things land speed and Volkswagen. Please let me know what is required to become a member. Sincerely, Burly Burlile, Mendon UT 84325 Burly: Go to the website, www.landspeedracing.com and sign in. They will give you a code number, which you will keep. That's it. There are no duties, fees, dues or responsibilities other than that which you wish to do. We do have goals. They are: 1) compile your biography, 2) then write biographies for those around you who can't, won't or have passed on, 3) caption all your photographs in your albums, 4) help us find libraries, museums, archives and other facilities to receive the artifacts that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Whatever you submit for publication will go into the newsletter. Our purpose is to preserve the rich heritage of land speed racing and hot rodding, worldwide. Read the back issues and that should help you clarify what kind of an informal group that we are. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Compressed Air Car developed by Motor Development International (MDI) Founder Guy Negre might be the best thing to have happened to the motor engine in years. The $12,700 CityCAT, one of the planned Air Car models, can hit 68 mph and has a range of 125 miles. It will take only a few minutes for the CityCAT to refuel at gas stations equipped with custom air compressor units. MDI says it should cost only around $2 to fill the car up with 340 liters of air! The Air Car will be starting production relatively soon, thanks to India's TATA Motors. Forget corn! There's fuel, there's renewable fuel, and then there's user-renewable fuel! What can be better than air? This six-seater taxi should be available in India this year -2008! Now If We Can Just Get It In The USA. George Steele George: Would SCTA have a class for an air fueled land speed car? |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ You are to be commended for the excellent job you have done on my "scribbling" and I really appreciate your efforts. In all my life I never dreamed someone would want to write my biog! You just made my hat size jump from 7-1/4 to 15-1/2! Anonymous Readers: This was a personal message and that's why I'm using Anonymous, but there is an important message here. The writer is referring to his biography and he is expressing a sentiment that most of you have told me. That is, "I'm not anyone important, who would want to know about me?" Or, as the writer said, "I never dreamed someone would want to write my biog!" The reason these views are expressed are not because each of you does not have a biography or even that your life is not important. Would you say to me, "Richard, why are you writing your biography, YOU'RE not important?" You would never say that to me or to anyone else and yet you say it about YOURSELF. The truth of it is that there is absolutely no one who hasn't had an interesting life. There are a few who have books written about them. There are a lot more who have magazine articles done on them. There are millions of people who are mentioned a few times in the newspapers. If we count obituaries, wedding announcements and births, probably all of us get some attention in the press. So why would this writer and member feel like so many of the rest of you, that you are shocked when someone would be interested in your life? The real reason that you all feel this way is that you are not used to talking about yourself. Writing about yourself is UNFAMILIAR to you. Since I am working on my 280th story, I have long ago lost any shyness about writing on you or myself. It gets easier as you do it more often. The purpose of our group is to record history and each of you lived through history. You lived at a historic time and you know people who were the very pioneers of what we love to do. It would be the same as if you all grew up knowing St Peter and St Paul. Well, our Saints are the founders of auto racing and if we didn't know Otto or Porsche, we knew men who knew Henry Ford and some of you may have met him. If you don't write about those experiences, who will? I'm sure that we can find some of our new members, those who are in their twenty's who will write their stories, but they are 4 generations removed from those early day experiences. What you have to say is vitally important. Just because you don't think they are important, doesn't mean that those memories are insignificant. You may think your life is unimportant. I don't believe that, but you might. Don't write for yourself, write for future generations of land speed racers and hot rodders. I guarantee that what you don't think is very important will be fascinating reading for future generations. Just as we look back to those who raced in the 1920's and '30's, so will those young men and women of 2050 look back at what we have to say about the 1960's through 2010 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Editor's notes: the following interview came from Bill Groak. Charles "Boogie" Scott said he has no idea where he got his nickname from. 'I've had it since I was a baby," the Louisiana native said in his distinctive drawl. "I grew up with it." Boogie has also earned the title of being a "racer's racer." His career is the envy of all hot rodders: for some 50 years, Boogie has built and driven championship quality cars for the street, the strip and the salt. Still active, Boogie was a recent inductee into the exclusive Bonneville Salt Flats 200 MPH Club, and continues to construct a variety of cars at his Covington, Louisiana shop. In fact, he's building a Cacklefest car (a remake of the Cupit and Cunningham dragster). He'll take a break when he visits Beech Bend Raceway Park as an Honoree at the 6th Annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion, June 13-15, 2008. Bill Groak |
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Groak: When you were racing and building cars decades ago, did you think you'd be honored years later? Are you surprised that people remember your racing and rodding exploits? |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm Eric Loe and I saw your request that we send in to let you know if we mind having our names listed on a website as being members of the society. I don't mind a bit! I think this is a great forum, and although I have not been able to contribute much yet, |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ You sent several pictures that at first I was not able to locate where in the Newsletter 61 they were suppose to go. However, after doing some research I found the Bio on Jerry Cornelison that go with the images. Is it okay if I link to this site so others can go to the web page for the full article on Jerry or do you possible have a different link you would rather us otherwise others, like me, will not understand the how the pictures go with this section of the of Jerry's story. Let me know as quickly as possible so I can get the Newsletter finished up for you. See http://www.ussarcherfish.com/roadrunners/goneracin.pdf. Staff at www.hotrodhotline.com. Staff (Anita and Mary Ann): I'm sure that it's alright to cross-link sites as it benefits us all and the above has appeared in the newsletter before. But if anyone sends me something and does not want their sites linked for some reason, or they want their remarks left out of the newsletter, please mark "NOT for USE in the Newsletter," or "Personal and Confidential," so that I won't put it into the newsletter or website. It is up to the senders to tell me this or I may use what you send in the newsletter. I work fast and do a lot of newsletters and I will make mistakes, for which I will always give an apology and do a retraction, but it is the sender's responsibility to be clear in their intentions. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yes, please feel free to cross link to the Road Runners webpage and the goneracin.pdf link. I think I told you already that I have the Society link prominently displayed on the Road Runners Home Page. The more networking / linking the better I think. The only restricted page I have on the Road Runners website is the "Member's Only" page which has names, addresses, phone numbers and some Road Runners Club working documents. That page requires password entry. http://www.ussarcherfish.com/roadrunners. Jerry Cornelison Jerry: I would assume that most websites find it helpful to link with one another and if they have a "sensitive" section, it is usually restricted by a password, but it never hurts to ask for permission. I'm trying to find this website from England that has hundreds of racing websites listed on it. I think it was called Marty's. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I enjoyed reading your "blurb" about Bud and Joan, and the Meyer Museum. Bud and Joan are planing on heading to Sparks June 16th. It will be good to see them, and to have Bud share some "garage time." I'm building a hemi V-8 60, with a NOS 1940 V-8 60 block, and hemi heads from a 60's Brazilian Simca. Simca used the 60 from the early 50's, until 1969, with lots of modern updates. The bore spread stayed the same, and the head studs stayed the same. Bud has been a great partner in marrying the modern heads to the vintage block. We will use the Simca crank as it has a .250 longer stroke. I will send photos. Thanks again, Doug Clem Doug: Be sure to tell us from time to time how your Museum is doing and give us an update. We are glad that there are people out there who are keeping the Meyer/Drake family history and heritage alive, because it was a large part of our racing history. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Stater Bros Route 66 Rendezvous proudly announced its 2008 Cruisin' Hall of Fame Inductees: Bill Hines aka "The Leadslinger" in the Builder/Designer Category; Justice Brothers Car Care Products, Inc in the Manufacturer/Vehicle Category; 1968 Ford Mustang in the Media Category; and Inland Vans Berdoo in the Historical/Misc Category. California's largest cruisin' classic car show, the Stater Bros Route 66 Rendezvous takes place September 18-21, 2008 and will transform the 35-blocks of historical downtown San Bernardino into an automotive paradise with 1900 hot rods, classics and custom cars cruising. This event is free to the spectators who will enjoy the classic cars, music and entertainment, sponsor displays, legendary guests, contests and commercial exhibitors. For more information, visit www.route-66.org. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We have been looking for the history and where abouts of a Series 2 Lotus Eleven that supposedly ran at Bonneville in 1966 or later. This car was created in Detroit by a group of Chrysler engineers from a new Lotus Eleven and a Valiant, slant 6 engine. There is a good article on this car in Jay Sloanes, "Lotus Eleven Register" website. It was raced thruout the Midwest, eventually passing thru Arizona in the early '60's and into California in 1964. The last owner recalls selling it to "someone in LA in about 1966 and he raced it at Bonneville." That is the last evidence we have of this car's existence. The car was know as the "Lotus Valiant." Can your group offer any suggestions on where to next look for further information & many thanks. Regards, Russ Hoenig, [email protected] 1-814-379-3266 evenings, 1-814-226-0575 fax. Russ: We are running your request in the newsletter and very likely a few people will pass this around at bench racing gatherings and probably contact you. My advice, since I'm not aware of where the car might be, is to start a phone tree search. I use this technique when I'm looking for a rarity and I've got to contact a lot of people in a short time. I have my "regular suspects," men and women who just seem to know in which direction to look. I will give you a few phone numbers and you should call them. If they don't know, ask them this question; "do you have a few phone numbers of people who you think might know?" Each time you call you are looking to expand the numbers that you are calling, so that 2 calls become 4, which becomes 8 and grows exponentially. Even if you don't find the car owner immediately, all these phone calls have the effect of stirring up the land speed community and their curiosity will spill over in conversations that they have with other land speed people. Another way is to google "land speed racing," and "sports car racing," and then email all of the website operators with your request. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, annually dedicates its June Prolong Twilight Cruise Night to female hot rodders. This year's event is on Wednesday, June 4 from 4-8 pm at the Fairplex in Pomona. |
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The event is hosted by the Cal Rods car club and attracts nearly 1000 people and includes raffles, prizes and a huge 50/50 drawing. The remaining Twilight Cruise Night schedule is: June 4 (Ladies' Night), July 2, August 6, August 27 (replacing September's cruise due to the L.A. County Fair), October 1, November 5 and the annual toy drive on December 3. For more information, call 909/622-2133 or http://museum.nhra.com. From Bill Groak, PCGCampbell, 310/224-4940, [email protected]. |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Links to other land speed and hotrodding websites: |
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jonathan Amo, Brett Arena, Henry Astor, Gale Banks, Glen Barrett, Mike Bastian, Lee Blaisdell, Jim Bremner, Warren Bullis, George Callaway, Gary Carmichael, John Backus, John Chambard, Jerry Cornelison, G. Thatcher Darwin, Jack Dolan, Ugo Fadini, Bob Falcon, Rich Fox, Glenn Freudenberger, Don Garlits, Bruce Geisler, Stan Goldstein, Andy Granatelli, Walt James, Wendy Jeffries, Ken Kelley, Mike Kelly, Bret Kepner, Kay Kimes, Jim Lattin, Mary Ann and Jack Lawford, Fred Lobello, Dick Martin, Ron Martinez, Tom McIntyre, Don McMeekin, Bob McMillian, Tom Medley, Jim Miller, Don Montgomery, Bob Morton, Mark Morton, Paula Murphy, Louise Ann Noeth, Frank Oddo, David Parks, Richard Parks, Wally Parks (in memoriam), Eric Rickman, Willard Ritchie, Roger Rohrdanz, Evelyn Roth, Ed Safarik, Frank Salzberg, Dave Seely, Charles Shaffer, Mike Stanton, David Steele, Doug Stokes, Bob Storck, Zach Suhr, Maggie Summers, Gary Svoboda, Pat Swanson, Al Teague, JD Tone, Jim Travis, Randy Travis, Jack Underwood and Tina Van Curen, Richard Venza. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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